Looking At Death
by Rushing'Beauty'Wonder
Summary: Zuko know's the hard choices will make or break him, but this one has broken him and everyone around him. Death Fic.


I never write stories like this. It's a little on the dark side and it has death in it. But read and review, tell me what you liked and didn't like. Please.

This was betaed by WritingSchizo101 and MeatSarcasm-Guy. Thanks

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**Zuko **

Zuko watches his mother every day, making sure she doesn't run away or leave him alone again. Sure, he has friends, but most of his family is gone, broken beyond repair. He can only hope she doesn't decide to follow suit. She has reasons why she would.

His sister and father are to be executed— the last condition in a treaty between the three nations. Aang wants nothing to do with their deaths and decides his nation wouldn't either. He tells him to do what he feels is right, not make death to bring peace. Zuko doesn't listen. He is Fire Lord and the hard choices rest on his shoulders.

His mother takes the news like Aang, asks him not to do it, though he doesn't think she understands. The world is counting on him to make up for 100 years of spilled blood and he won't fail. She pleads with him and begs, but again he tells her no. Then he starts to see her around the palace less and less. He wonders where she went and if she would leave for good when he only just got her back. He doesn't want to lose her, but it seems he will.

**Ursa **

As a mother, she has always hoped for the best for her children. She wanted to please her husband and be a wonderful mother, but she failed.

She holds a thin body to hers' and cries. Her daughter is a hollow shell with nothing to fill herself with. Ursa hugs the body, worried she might break a bone or hurt the girl, but she refuses to let go. She knows death will meet her daughter very soon and she is powerless to stop it. Her children will die one day, but not before her. She will make sure of that.

A weak hand warps around hers and she sobs loudly in the cell. Her child is broken and she knows she made many of those cracks. She cannot think of where she messed up, but she knows she did vows to fix it.

**Iroh **

He watches the broken family and sighs. "This is fate at its worst. She is testing us and everyone will fail."

Zuko frowns at him. "What?"

"Nothing, nephew. Just finish your paperwork and I will go visit my brother."

Zuko bows his head and Iroh knows the boy feels alone. He just hopes the feeling will soon pass.

**Azula **

Her mind is a pool of madness and her body is shell hiding her torn soul. The clear moments are few and far between. She can see her mother and father. A different type of love from each one, but love none the less. She has had such little love; she will take anything.

Death is knocking on her door and soul is ready to let it in. In her madness, she knows she will die and is ready.

Her uncle visits and tells her stories; she acts like she doesn't listen, but she does. He gives her tea and calms her mind for mere minutes. He tells her he is sorry for not giving her a chance and that she could have been great.

She speaks to him only once: "I was great, just not how you envision greatness."

Zuko comes by only once and brings news. "You will be executed. I am sorry." He leaves her to think and then she feels the end is near.

Her mother visits and holds her, saying loving words and whispering sorries. She accepts them and loves the sound of her mother's voice. It is one of the last things she will ever hear.

She has not seen her father since the day of the comet and she misses him. She knows he was using her but she understands— he doesn't know how to show love any other way. She will forgive him and love him just the way he is.

She will forgive her mother. She only has one mother and will love this one, even if she didn't believe it at first.

She will forgive Zuko. She knows she wasn't the best sister, but he wasn't the best brother. His jealousy over her bending and her jealousy over mother ripped them apart. They could never be whole.

She will forgive her uncle. He never did anything to hurt her, but he says he could have made her good like Zuko. Sometimes she believes him.

She will forgive the avatar for ending her own piece of heaven and trading it for everyone else's. Peace she will never get to see, but will thank him for saving the world from her.

She only forgives, because death will not let her be angry. She can't be angry at them in hell.

**Ozai **

Ozai can see the sky; it is dark and looks like it will rain. He can feel the wind blowing around him and knows these last few minutes of life are a gift.

Next to him waits his daughter, who will die last. He had one last wish and wanted her to feel life for a few more minutes. He knows a few extra minutes of breathing will not make difference when he himself shortened her life in the first place. However, he has to try.

He wishes he could have told her how he felt and admit he messed up, but he can't say the words out loud. He can see his wife and brother.

Iroh visited and told him he would be at peace. He thanks him for giving him the chance to help his son and tells him he wished he had the chance with his daughter. Ozai thanks him and the other man is shocked.

"You did something I couldn't. You raised my son."

His wife is beautiful and visits him many times. She sits next to him and holds his hand. She smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes. He tells her she was a wonderful wife and mother— she cries. He can only hold her, and while he has more reason to be sad, he will comfort her, forget himself for the first time. On her last visit, she kisses him and hugs his body to hers. He almost cries. The moment is perfect, but time is moving away from him and she leaves to see Azula one last time.

Ozai can hear the sound of death. It is a haunting tune and the last one he will hear. He turns to his daughter and mouths 'I love you'. The first and last time she will hear it from him. A whistle in the air. A knife coming down. He closes his eyes and listens to death.

**Zuko **

He looks outside the palace and watches his city. There are no prides or parties. His people moron the lost of their princess and once Fire Lord. He almost forgets how loved they once were. It rains when his father and sister die. A storm blows in, bringing lighting and thunder. He knows they would have liked it. Lightning was their thing, what made them great.

When it stops raining, he knows his people are sad. He knows the beloved royal family stands for everything. He places their ashes with the rest of their dead family members' ashes. In beautiful jars with blue flames on Azula's and lightning on his father's. He could almost say he misses him.

His uncle his left to travel back to his teashop and his own life, telling Zuko he will be back, but not for a few months. Zuko can tell the man is hurt, even if it is only a little.

He hasn't seen his mother in a few days, but knows she still in the palace. He thinks going with uncle will be good for her. The way she looks at photos of Azula and his father scares him. They haven't spoken in over two weeks. She won't forgive him.

His family was always broken, but this has made sure it will never be fixed.


End file.
